9270-26-R-RFIN-00009

The University of Mississippi Procurement Services has issued a sole source procurement notice for a specialized Pasco Experiments EX-9930B Coulomb's Law Experiment apparatus for the UM Physics Department. The procurement is specifically targeting a scientific equipment piece designed to measure very small forces using a torsion balance, with the primary objective of demonstrating Coulomb's constant and the functional form of electric forces. This unique procurement is intended to replace an existing Oscilloscope Lab and represents a targeted acquisition for advanced physics laboratory instruction. The sole source notice is open for objections and alternative proposals until Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 am Central Time, with interested parties invited to submit alternative capabilities statements directly to the Procurement Manager. Potential respondents can submit their proposals via hand delivery, regular mail, overnight delivery, or email to the specified contact points, with the critical requirement that submissions must be received in a timely manner. The university has already negotiated a 3% discount on the equipment and considers the pricing appropriate for the delicate scientific instrumentation. If no alternative sources are identified through this notice, the university will seek final purchase approval from the Public Procurement Review Board.

The procurement appears to be unrestricted in terms of vendor set-asides or specific enterprise designations, with Pasco identified as the sole manufacturer and distributor of this specific experiment apparatus. No incumbent vendors beyond Pasco are mentioned in the documentation. The specific award value remains undisclosed, though the procurement represents a targeted acquisition for specialized scientific equipment. The university has structured this procurement as a sole source notice, providing an opportunity for potential alternative vendors to demonstrate comparable capabilities or equipment. The procurement is specifically for the University of Mississippi's Physics Department and focuses on a highly specialized piece of scientific instrumentation designed for precise experimental measurements. The procurement process allows for potential competitive alternatives, with the ultimate decision resting on the ability of other vendors to provide equivalent or superior equipment to the Pasco Experiments EX-9930B Coulomb's Law Experiment apparatus. The university maintains flexibility in its procurement approach, willing to consider alternative proposals that meet the technical specifications and experimental requirements of the physics laboratory.